A police officer is among three people arrested by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for conning a Kenyan living in diaspora Ksh30 million.
The three were arrested by detectives from the DCI's Special Crimes Unit at a restaurant in Hurlingham Nairobi.
Police constable Charles Ogetti, who was stationed at DCI Kilimani was providing security for a suspect identified as Mary Njoki, the mastermind of a plan that set out to dupe the unsuspecting expatriate Ksh50 million.
The con game began when one of the members of the group was introduced to a Whatsapp group of Kenyans living in the United States of America, posing as an insider well connected to the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).
He informed the group members that he would assist them in securing tenders from UNOPS. Instantly, Wallace, an American of Kenyan origin sparked interest and made contact with the con.
Wallace travelled to Nairobi to meet a 'top official' from the UN agency. He met Leah Wanjiru at a restaurant at the Thika Road Mall where the American was introduced into a fabricated UNOPS supply system where he was enrolled as a supplier.
A week later, a multi-million shilling tender was advertised on the portal. The investor received a call from Leah informing him that he had won the tender to supply 1,000 cancer eloxatin vials.
In the deal, the agency would buy the vial at Ksh113,150 per vial, which translated to Ksh113 million.
However, they insisted that he needed to buy the vials from a trusted Kenyan supplier, Dr Otieno, who would sell them to him at Ksh63,364 each. Wallace would make Ksh49,786 per vial, translating to Ksh49.78 million profit once he made the supply in full.
Wallace was asked to supply the first 250 vials, which he bought at Ksh15million in a transaction witnessed by a lawyer provided by the con artists. He was then told to supply the second batch of 250 vials.
He made arrangements with his bank and gave Otieno Ksh20 million for the second consignment. However, when he asked for payment, Wanjiru told him to supply the remaining 500 vials after which he would be paid in 14 days.
The investor was even lured with a deal that would see him get the 500 vials on credit. When payday came, Otieno and Wanjiru went quiet, prompting the American to report the matter to the DCI headquarters.
By this time, he had lost more than Ksh30 million.
On December 27, Wallace received a call from Mary Njoki, offering to sell him vials worth Ksh20 million, He decided to give it a second chance and agree to meet her at Suppers and Dinners restaurant.
Detectives from the special crimes unit pounced on Njoki, who was in the company of constable Ogetti. The constable attempted to resist arrest but later cooperated.
However, other accomplices managed to escape the trap. The detectives recovered 550 vials of eloxatin. DCI warned Kenyans living in the diaspora against getting into deals with individuals they did not know.
